Electric igniter for gas burners



April 25, 1939- v L.. vx, BEEBE 2,155,524

E LECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS URNERS Filed Aug. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-.Sheet l 4.2 3 'l l n \u "LZ April 25, y l939 L. w. BEI-:BE 2,155,524

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR GAS BURNERS Filed'Aug. 15, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Leslie W. Beebe, Oak Park, Ill., assignor of onehali' to Dunbar W. Lewis, Glencoe, Ill.

Application August 13,1937, Serial No. 158,885

4 Claims.

This invention relates to electric igniting devices for gas burners and more particularly to electric igniters for gas stove ovens. Devices of this general type usually include an igniter of the spark type, a transformer, a manual switch for closing the circuit when the gas is turned on, and a thermostatic switch for opening the circuit when the burner is ignited.

In electric lighting devices heretofore in use, the igniter, thermostatic switch and transformer have been separately mounted and their installation has required considerable skill and time.

The main object of this invention is to provide an electric igniter having an improved form of unitary housing and support on which the igniter, thermostatic switch, and transformer are mounted as a unit and which may be readily fastened to an outside wall of a gas stove oven so as to facilitate installation.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:A

Figure` l is a fragmentary side elevation of a gas stove oven showing the igniter unit mounted on the outer wall of the oven; the housing of the unit being shown in section. 4

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal section, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the manual switch and associated gas valve, the view being taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing a snap action switch in place of the sliding contacts.

' a mixing tube 4 provided with an air valve 5 and communicating with a gas pipe 6 which is controlled by an improved valve 1.

The valve 1v comprises a body 8 having a gas passage 9 communicating with the pipe 6 and with a supply pipe I0. intersecting the passage, 9, is a tapered bore I I in which is seated the usual tapered valve plug I2 having a stem I3 to which a handle I4 is secured.

Mounted on top of the valve body, is an insulator housing which comprises a cup I5 having a controls the circuit of the igniter.

The switch shown in Figs. 3 and '4 is of the sliding contact type and comprises a pair of arcuate fixed contacts I8 and I9 and a sliding contact 28. 'I'he contacts I8 and I9 are mounted in the cup I5 and are electrically connected to conductor wires 2l and 22 of a source of electric current. The contact 28 is mounted on the valve stem so as to be shifted into engagement with the contacts I8 and I9 as soon as the gas is turned on.

The switch shown in Figure 5 is of the snap type and comprises a quick-acting contact 23 which is actuated by a nger 24 fixed on the valve stem.

The improved igniting unit is housed within a casing which comprises a cover 25 pivotally connected to a supporting plate 26 by a hinge 21 and adapted to be locked to the plate by a thumb screw 28. The casing is fastened to the end wall of the stove by screws 29 or any other suitable means.

Mounted on the supporting plate, is a step-up transformer 38 having a secondary winding 3I in circuit with an improved spark igniter 32 and having a primary winding 33 in circuit with a thermostatic switch 34 and with a plug connector 35.

The spark igniter 32 comprises a pair of terminals 36 and 31 connected to the secondary winding of the transformer by conductors 38 and 39,respectively. The terminals 36 and 31 extend through an insulator plug 40 which has a metal sheath 4I which is adjustably supported in a collar 42 mounted on the plate 26. 'I'he igniter extends through an opening 43 formed in the side wall 2 and it may be easily adjusted by hand so as to position the spark gap in proper relation to the burner. The spark plug is secured in adjusted position by a set screw 44 mounted on the collar 42.

The thermostatic switch comprises a bi-metal- 5 lic element 45 whichis positioned adjacent the burner so as to be exposed to the flame issuing from one of the burner apertures. In the form shown, the element 45 is mounted on an adjustable collar 46 which embraces the end of the igniter plug and to which it may be secured by a set screw 41. l

The thermostatic element is electrically connected to the plug connector'by conductors 48 and 49. If desired, the conductor 48 may be embedded '55 in the igniter plug or it may be arranged in any other suitable manner.

The thermostatic element 45 coacts with an axially adjustable contact pin 50 which is threaded in a bushing 5I which in turn is threaded in an insulator collar 52 mounted on the supporting plate. The contact pin may be locked to the bushing, by a set screw 53. Mounted on the bushing 5 I is a screw 54 connected to a conductor wire 55 leading to the primary coil of the transformer. A conductor 56 connects the primary coil with the conductor plug 35.

Formed in the cover adjacent the conductor plug, is an opening 51 which permits the insertion of a socket member 58 connected to the main conductor wires.

In operation, the socket connector 58 is connected to the plug 35 and when the gas valve handle i4 is in off position, the circuit is open. When the handle`l 4 is turned for opening the gas valve so as to admit gas to the burner 3, the switch which is associated with the gas valve closes the circuit which immediately causes a sparking in the gap between the terminals 36 and 31. This sparking ignites the gas issuing from the burner 3 and after the burner is ignited the flame bends the bi-metallic element 45 away from the contact pin- 50, thereby opening the circuit so as to stop the sparking.

If by any chance the burner ame is extinguished while the gas valve remains open, the bi-metallic element 45 will straighten so as to again contact with the contact pin 50, thereby closing the circuit and causing sparking in the gap between the terminals 36 and 31 which will reignite the gas issuing from the burner. When the gas valve is closed, the switch associated with the gas valve opens the electric circuit so as to render the igniter inoperative until the gas is again turned on.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that the details of the construction shown may be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. The combination with a gas oven having an opening in a wall thereof, of a housing attached to said wall over said opening, a spark igniter mounted in said housing and projecting through said opening, and a thermostatic switch having a bi-metallic member mounted on said igniter and a cooperating axially adjustable contact pin mounted in said housing and projecting through said opening, said housing and above named parts mounted therein being appliable to and removable from said Wall as a unit.

2. The combination with a gas oven having an opening in a side wall thereof, of a housing 00mprising a supporting plate attached to said wall over said opening and a cover hinged on said plate, a spark igniter mounted on said plate and projecting through said opening, a thermostatic switch having a bi-metallic member mounted on said igniter and a cooperating contact pin mounted on said plate with capacity of axial adjustment toward and from said bi-metallic member and projecting through said opening, said housing and above named parts mounted therein being appliable to and removable from said wall as a unit.

3. The combination with a gas oven having an opening in a side wall thereof, of a housing comprising a supporting plate attached to said wall over said opening and a cover hinged on said plate, a spark igniter mounted on said plate and projecting through said opening, a thermostatic switch having a bi-metallic member mounted on said igniter and a cooperating contact pin mounted on said plate with capacity of axial adjustment toward and from said bi-metallic member and projecting through said opening, a step-up transformer mounted on said plate within said housing, said housing and above named parts mounted therein being appliable to and removable from said wall as a unit.

4. The combination with a gas oven having an opening in a side wall thereof, of a housing comprising a supporting plate attached to said wall over said opening and a cover hinged on said plate. a spark igniter mounted on said plate and projecting through said opening, a thermostatic switch having a bi-metallic member mounted on said igniter and a cooperating contact pin mounted on said plate with capacity of axial adjustment toward and from said bi-metallic member and projecting through said opening, a step-up transformer mounted on said plate within said housing, a plug connector mounted on said plate within said housing, the cover member of said housing having an opening registering with said plug connector for insertion of a plug; said housing and above named parts mounted therein being appliable to and removable from said wall as a unit.

LESLIE W. BEEBE. 

